by Ed Ruggero
Shannon Stein branched Military Intelligence, but tried to change when an officer told her that, at her first assignment, she’d probably spend her days “getting coffee for colonels.” Stein will “definitely” leave the service after her five-year commitment. Among her friends, she “cannot think of a single person who wants to make a career” of the Army. “I can’t see myself staying in. No one has really impressed me that much—I mean, I’ve met some great officers, but I don’t want to be like them.”
Greg Stitt married classmate Sarah Hatton on the day after graduation for the Class of 2000. The newlyweds were both headed to Fort Rucker, Alabama for aviation training. Stitt, who enlisted in the Army to become a pilot, is pursuing his dream.
Alisha Bryan spent much of senior year recuperating from reconstructive knee surgery. She devoted her free time to planning a Minority Youth Conference, where high school students and their cadet hosts talked about the virtues of education, personal awareness, and responsibility. Bryan selected the Quartermaster Corps and a first assignment in Germany, and is looking forward to her mother visiting her overseas.
Bob Friesema concentrated on academics his yearling year and was rewarded with his highest GPA ever. He enjoyed his introduction to the Army’s branches during training at Camp Buckner, and by the spring of 2000 had volunteered for parachute training. He also spent part of his third summer on duty with a U.S. Armored Cavalry unit in Germany. The prospect of returning for cow year and the long commitment to the Army did not give him pause. “It’s not even a question for me.”
Jacque Messel’s yearling year was marked by athletic triumphs, including a trip to national level competition with team handball. In the spring of her second year she was a little surprised to find herself preparing to be a Beast squad leader. Although she has grown to like West Point, the commitment that comes at the beginning of junior year is a bit sobering.
Pete Haglin passed summer school chemistry and became even more committed to becoming an Army officer during Camp Buckner’s military training. During yearling year he failed physics and returned to summer school. He was also caught off-limits—sneaking off-post at night—which earned him a serious punishment. Then he did the same thing again, got caught and punished again. He continues to count the days until he can exchange his cadet gray for Army green.
ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
West Point is a complex place, and my experience there, both as a cadet and as an instructor, is quickly fading into what the twenty-year-old subjects of this book would call “ancient history.” I would like to thank the following people, who helped put modern West Point in perspective, and who allowed me generous access to their lives, their careers, and their insights into leadership.
Lieutenant General Daniel Christman, the fifty-fifth Superintendent, is justly proud of the cadets, staff, and faculty at West Point. That translated into his providing me unfettered access to every corner of cadet life and to the workings of the Academy. He set an example of openness, and the rest of the command followed his lead.
Thanks to Brigadier General John Abizaid, Colonel Maureen LeBoeuf, Colonel Joe Adamczyk, Majors Rob and Holly Olson, and Captain Brian Turner.
The USMA Public Affairs Office was generous in providing me information and a home-away-from-home. Thanks especially to Andrea Hamburger, Major John Cornelio, Mike D’Aquino, and Theresa Brinkerhoff.
Thanks to all those who opened up their homes to me: John and Angela Calabro, Don and Jennifer Welch, and Kathy and Scott Snook.
Thanks to my generous friend and professional colleague, Paul McCarthy of McCarthy Creative Services. This book was Paul’s idea; he entrusted it to me and coached me through its development. Thanks to Matt Bialer of the William Morris Agency, and to Henry Ferris of HarperCollins, who climbed on board midstream.
I owe the biggest debt to the cadets I had the pleasure of meeting and spending so much time with. They let me explore with them the meaning of their West Point experience, they let me watch them learn, and they shared with me their doubts and their triumphs. I especially want to thank Kevin Bradley and Kris Yagel, USMA 1999; Alisha Bryan, Grady Jett, Shannon Stein, and Greg Stitt, USMA 2000; Bob Friesema, Pete Haglin, and Jacquelyn Messel, USMA 2002.
About the Author
ED RUGGERO was an infantry officer in the United States Army for eleven years. In addition to being the author of five novels about the military and coauthor of the manual Army Leadership, Ruggero is an experienced keynote speaker on leadership and leader development. He and his family live near Swarthmore, Pennsylvania. For more information visit www.edruggero.com.
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Praise for DUTY FIRST
“Duty First is a fascinating, highly readable and instructive view of the challenges our nation faces in shaping tomorrow’s leaders in the military sphere and beyond.”
—Ralph Peters, author of Fighting for the Future and Traitor
“A remarkably incisive and candid portrayal. … Ruggero is a gifted storyteller who introduces us to some memorable individuals.”
—Chicago Tribune
“Ruggero’s engagingly anecdotal approach provides a candid update on West Point for the nation it defends. The most honest and enlightening book about West Point published in many years.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“By turns highly informative and critical, Ed Ruggero’s Duty First is a fascinating and revealing look at America’s premier military academy.” —Houston Chronicle
“A textured, insightful report about the contemporary West Point experience.” —Booklist
“An engaging read. … A strong inside look at the mind and body under this famous training.” —CNN.com
Also by Ed Ruggero
FICTION
The Academy
Breaking Ranks
Firefall
The Common Defense
38 North Yankee
NONFICTION
Army Leadership
(with the Center for Army Leadership)
Credits
Duty, Honor, Country
West Point’s motto
THE MISSION OF THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY
To educate, train, and inspire the Corps of Cadets so that each graduate is a commissioned leader of character committed to the values of Duty, Honor, Country; professional growth throughout a career as an officer in the United States Army; and a lifetime of selfless service to the Nation.
Duty is the sublimest word in our language. Do your duty in all things, You cannot do more; you should never wish to do less.
Robert E. Lee
Class of 1829
Copyright
A hardcover edition of this book was published in 2001 by HarperCollins Publishers.
DUTY FIRST. Copyright © 2001 by Ed Ruggero.
All rights reserved under International and Pan-American Copyright Conventions. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, nontransferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, downloaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of HarperCollins ebooks.
EPub Edition © JUNE 2010 ISBN: 978-0-062-03269-0
First Perennial edition published 2002.
The Library of Congress has catalogued the hardcover edition as follows:
Ruggero, Ed.
Duty first: West Point and the making of American leaders / by Ed Ruggero.—1st ed.
p. cm.
ISBN 0-06-019317-4 (alk. paper)
1. United States Military Academy. 2. Leadership. I. Title.
U410.L1R84 2001
355’.0071’173—dc21
00-059775
ISBN 0-06-093133-7 (pbk.)
02
03 04 05 06 /RRD 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1
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